On a deserted island, two ships were anchored at the shore.
One was the Straw Hat Pirates' new vessel, the Thousand Sunny.
The other, a pink boat much smaller than the Thousand Sunny, bore a bold "8" on its side.
It was the famous gourmet ship, Takoyaki 8, owned by Hatchan, the octopus Fishman. Once an opponent of the Straw Hats, he had now retired to run a legitimate business.
"Munch, munch, wow! So delicious!"
Luffy, covered in dirt, stuffed steaming takoyaki into his mouth with trembling hands.
"Ah! My hands! They're so hot!"
"Hmm, the taste is indeed exceptional," Sanji said, closing his eyes in concentration, savoring the flavor and silently noting its culinary secrets. He hoped that on future voyages, he could replicate such perfection for the crew.
"Phew, thankfully my left hand still works…"
Zoro, weak and unsteady, carefully held a skewer with his trembling right hand, cautiously bringing it to his mouth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A sudden tremor shook the island, the ground quivering violently.
"Help me!"
From the dust, a massive figure with antlers ran wildly, tears streaming down his face.
It was Chopper, enlarged by three Rumble Balls, crying as he fled.
"Waaah! So scary! Don't chase me!"
He looked desperately at his companions on the ship, their feasting undisturbed by his panic.
"Hehehe, Chopper, keep it up!" Luffy laughed, his cheeks stuffed with takoyaki, sauce smeared over his hands.
"No, no! Don't chase me! I'm terrified!" Chopper's cries grew louder as he fled, his thick fur bristling at imagined threats.
Boom, boom, boom…
Chopper stumbled into a dense, dark forest where slender, humanoid monsters lurked. The moment he paused or reverted to his normal form, these eerie beings would locate him. Their distorted faces, human-like yet grotesque, extended toward him as they advanced.
"Pant… pant…"
Later, a frail figure, leaning on a stick and trembling, emerged from the forest.
"Cough… am I… still alive?"
It was Usopp, gaunt and exhausted, with an almost inhuman pallor. He only noticed the crew when he reached the ship.
"Luffy! Sanji! Zoro! Save me! It's terrifying! Where did Shirogai get all these monsters?"
Luffy barely noticed, stuffing another takoyaki into his mouth.
"Hehehe, Usopp, I don't want to return there for now!"
"I… I also want to rest!" Usopp's face contorted in pain as he looked longingly at the feast before him.
"…"
Suddenly, Usopp spun nervously toward the empty island.
"No, I can't stay! The monsters are coming again! They smell me! I have to hold my breath!"
He dashed into the island's caves, a labyrinth of dark, winding tunnels. Each step risked attracting the serrated-mouthed monsters, human-like yet monstrous, with long tails capable of climbing walls.
He could not recall how many times he had 'died' in this illusion, each encounter more gruesome than the last. Some creatures even implanted eggs in his body that hatched into small monsters.
Every awakening reinforced his resolve never to experience that horror again.
---
In the kitchen, three small heads peeked quietly, observing Usopp's frantic flight.
Kemi, the Kissing Fishman, whispered:
"Usopp seems terrified. Is this illusion really that terrifying?"
They had witnessed the Straw Hats' experiences on the island:
Luffy, at first ecstatic, fought the air mid-flight with wild glee, later bouncing through the trees, dodging unseen threats.
Sanji's carefree kicks turned into desperate rolls to evade attacks.
Zoro, from start to finish, faced the relentless monsters head-on, slashing until exhaustion overtook him. His trembling hands eventually could no longer hold his swords.
The small spectators wondered what horrors could challenge even such powerful pirates.
Pappagu, pride intact, feigned indifference:
"Cough… it doesn't look interesting at all."
"Hahaha, curious, Pappagu? You can go up and see for yourself!" Luffy said, chewing loudly.
"Even if it's an illusion, the pain of injury and death feels real. If you go there, you could die for real," he warned.
Pappagu swallowed nervously.
"Forget it, I won't go…"
---
Not far away, Nami's trembling voice rang out.
"Damn Shirogai! This is terrifying! I'm going to beat you when I get back!"
Cautiously, she emerged in her defensive golden ball form, moving forward.
"Nami swaaan, so cute," Sanji muttered, heart racing as he watched her peek from the golden shell.
Shivering, Nami complained:
"Shirogai, these illusions… they're endless! I don't want to train anymore. It's terrifying!"
Luffy pointed vaguely into the island:
"He just flew inside. You can try finding him there."
Nami followed his gesture, only to notice a ghostly figure behind her: a woman in white, eyes glowing red.
"Ah! Ah!" Nami screamed, summoning six golden spears from her protective sphere, impaling the ghost.
"Thunderbolt!"
A lightning bolt from her Weather Wand struck the ghost, who let out a grotesque laugh before vanishing.
"Waaah! I want to go back!" Nami cried, clutching her nose and pleading.
---
"Not yet, Nami. Once you master Observation Haki and can sense the ghosts instantly, I'll let you go back," Shirogai said, cross-legged, eyes closed, immersed in the world of [Ju-On].
Chopper, meanwhile, trained in [Imposters], extending his transformation time and shedding his fear of being a monster.
Usopp practiced in [Aliens], holding his breath in the caves to improve stealth. Evading the aliens marked his progression.
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Milestones
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
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